Photographic printing device



Aug. 11, 1931. F. BERN 1,818,523

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING DEVICE Filed June 30, 1930 INVENTOR 3 BY J 6% waxM ATT RNEYS mama Aug. 11', 1931' PATENT OFFICE FRANK BERN; OF CLEVELAND,OHIO PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING DEVICE Application filed June 80,

This invention relates to improvements in, hotographic printing devicesfor use in ma ing by projection bordered photographs, such asenlargements.

The general objects of the present invention are the provision of animproved printing device of this character, by the use of whichphotographs having photographicall produced inner borders-may be easily,quic ly and conveniently made, and without liability of misalignment orimproper spacing of the inner border of the picture relative to theimage portion thereof. Consequently, there is no loss of time ormaterial due to faulty work and because of this and because of thequickness and ease with which the bordered photographs can be made, thecost thereof can be quite materially reduced. Ofequal, if not greaterimportance, however is the enhanced attractiveness of the photographsdue to their inner borders, especially since said borders can be made invarious shapes and designs and in either light or dark shades.

As to the construction of the device itself, it is extremely simple sothat it can be manufactured and sol at low cost. Moreover, it is ofrugged character and will therefore successfully withstand considerablerough handling.

Further and more detailed objects of the invention are in part obviousand in part will appear more in detail hereinafter.

The invention will be more readily understood from the followingdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings inwhich Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the present improved photographicprinting device, with the inner border mask and the main image mask inmasking position relative to the combined outer and inner border mask;Fig. 2 is a similar view with the image mask in non-masking position;Fig. 3 is a similar view with the inner border mask in non-maskingposition, the image mask, however, being in masking position; Fig. 4 isa similar view with both the inner border mask and the image mask innon-masking position; Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudi- 1930. Serial No.464,858.

nal section view of the device with the parts thereof in somewhat theposition shown in Fig. 2, said device being positioned on a suitablesupport and a photo-sensitive sheet being shown beneath said device; andFig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a supplemental andmodified form of image mask in masking position.

Referring now to said drawings, the photographic printing device thereinillustrated includes a suitable combined outer and inner border mask 1having an inner light-transmitting area 2, an outer opaque area 5 and anintermediate area comprising opaque portions 3 and light-transmittingportions 4. The inner or central lighttransmitting area 2 is for-thetransmission of the image portion of the picture to be printed and saidarea may be of any desired size and shape. It is here shown as arectangular area longitudinally ositioned or arranged relative to themas 1, said mask being also of rectangular shape. The light-transmittingportions 4 of the intermediate area of themask l is for the transmissionof light for the inner border portion of the picture and said portionsmay be of any desired size, shape and design, depending upon what sortof inner border is desired .in the picture. The intermediate area of thecombined outer and inner border mask here shown includes two identicaltop and bottom parts, two identical side parts and four identical cornerparts, as best shown in Fig. 3.

While the combined outer and inner border mask 1 may be made of anysuitable material, either molded rubber or sheet metal is quitesatisfactory, and the lighttransmitting area 2 and thelight-transmitting portions 4 thereof, may conveniently be formed bycutting in said mask suitable openings, as will be readily understood.

Obviously, the image and inner border parts of the picture must'be madeby separate exposures, so that means must be provided for covering ormasking each part While the other is being exposed to the light I in theprinting operation.

The present prmting device therefore includes in'addition to thecombined outer and inner border mask 1 an inner border mask forcovering, or masking the light-transmitting portions 4 of the mask 1used in making the inner border part of the picture; a main image mask12 for covering or masking the inner light-transmitting area 2 of themask 1 used in making the image part of the picture; and a supplementalimage mask 14 adapted to cover less than the entire surface of theimage-transmltting area 2 of the mask 1 and thereby provide or producewithin the image part of the picture some ornamental effect, such as asupplemental inner border.

Obviously, said inner border mask and said image masks must be capableof movement into and out of covering 0r masking position with respect tothe combined outer and inner border mask 1, and in the presentembodiment of the invention, the inner border mask and the main imagemask 12 are hinged to the mask 1, while the supplemental image mask 14is unattached to the mask 1. The inner border mask is hinged at 16 tothe top portion of the outer opaque area 5 of the mask 1 adjacent thetop edge thereof while the main image mask 12 is hinged to a top opaqueportion 3 of the intermediate area of said mask 1 adjacent the top edgeof the inner light-transmitting area 2 thereof. For convenienceinmanipulating them, each mask, except mask 1 is provided with a suitablehandle 19. 7

As to the construction of the inner border and image masks, they, likemask 1 may be made of any suitable material, either molded rubber orsheet metal being satisfactory. While the inner border mask may have anopaque area of just sufficient size to properly cover the intermediatearea of the mask 1, said inner border mask is here shown as having anopaque area 10 of slightly larger size, so that it covers or overlapssome of the outer opaque area 5 of the mask 1 surrounding theintermediate area thereof. Since said inner border mask must not coverthe inner light-transmitting, image-exposing area 2 of the mask 1, saidinner border mask is provided with a central light-transmitting,image-exposing area 10w herein shown as in the form of an opening and ofthe same size and shape as said light-transmitting, image-exposing area2 of the mask 1, as best shown in Fig. 2. The main image mask 12 is, ofcourse, of the same size and shape as the light-transmittingimage-exposing area 2 of the mask 1 and of the lighttransmitting,image-exposing area 10a of the inner border mask.

The supplemental image mask 14 may be of any desired size, shape anddesign, depending upon what ornamental effects in the image part of thepicture are desired. This mask 14 may be used to provide a border,either plain or fanciful, at the outer edge of the image part of thepicture, or to provide within the image art of the picture any designdesired. 11 construction, this shield may be of the same size and shapeas the light-transmitting, image-exposing area 2 of the mask 1 androvidecl with one or more light-transmitting portions to exposetherebelow the necessary part or parts of said light-transmitting,imageexposmg area 2 to produce in the image part of the picture thedesired border or design. In the present instance, however, the mask 14has no light-transmitting portions, but is a simple opaque memberslightly smaller in size than the light-transmitting, imageexposing area2 of the mask 1. Therefore, when this mask 14 is in masking positionwith respect to said area 2 of the mask 1, as indicated in Fig. 6, theouter edge of said area is exposed, so that a narrow border is made justwithin the image part of the picture.

In order that this supplemental image mask 14 may be easily and quicklypositioned in proper masking position with respect to thelight-transmitting, image-exposing area 2 of the mask 1 and therebyenable the border produced by the use of said mask 14 to be of theproper width throughout and properly spaced with respect to said imagepart of the picture, means is provided for fixing and determining theproper masking position of said mask. Since, in the present instance,the light-transmitting, image-exposing area 2 of the mask 1 is in theform of an opening in said mask, said means is here shownas in the formof projections 20 which are arranged at the corners of the mask 14 andwhich engage the inner edge of an opaque portion 3 of the intermediatearea of the mask 1 around said light-transmitting, image-exposingopening 2. By means of these projections, the mask 14 is always centeredor properly positioned in the light-transmitting, image-exposing opening2 of the mask 1, as will be readily understood.

In making bordered photographs, such as enlargements, the present deviceis used as follows: v

Let us assume that the enlargement is to be made on an eleven byfourteen inch sheet of photo-sensitized paper and that the usual orstandard size for the image portion of a picture on a sheet of such sizeis six by eight inches. The photographer selects from his set ofprinting devices of the ,character here shown, one which has an elevenby fourteen inch combined outer and inner border mask member providedwith an inner light-transmitting, image-exposing area of six by eightinches.

The photo-sensitive sheet 21 on which the picture is to be printed islaid upon a suitable support, such as the table 22, Fig. 5, arrangedbeneath the usual enlarging camera (not shown). The printing device isthen laid over the sheet. with the mask 1 of said device, in properregistry therewith, such registry being a simple thing to accomplish,inasmuch as said mask 1 and said sheet coincide as to their outerdimensions. For the printing of the image part of the picture, whichpart is the first to be printed, the light-transmitting, image-exposingarea 2 of the mask 1 is, of course, exposed and the light-transmitting,inner border-exposing portions 4 of said mask member are, of course,covered or masked by the inner border mask, all as shown in Fig. 2.WVith the parts of the printing device in the position shown in Fig. 2,the enlarging camera is operated and the image part of the picture isprinted by this exposure.

After the image part of the picture has been thus printed, it is coveredor masked by the main image mask 12, and the inner border mask is swungto non-masking position, as indicated in Fig. 3. The light in theenlarging camera is again turned on and an inner border corresponding tothe now exposed light-transmitting portions 4 of the intermediate areaof mask 1 is now photographically produced on the photo-sensitive sheet21 around the recently printed image part of the picture. The color ofthe border can be'regulated, of course, by the duration of the exposure,the longer the exposure, the darker'the border. Since thelight-transmitting area 2 for the image part of the picture and thelight-transmitting portions 4 for the inner border part of the pictureare in the same member, there is always proper relationship or spacingbetween the image and border parts of the picture, as will be readilyunderstood.

If it is desired to provide the image part of the picture with a borderor with some design, then the main image mask 12- is swung tonon-masking position, as indicated in Fig. 4, and the supplemental imagemask 14 is now used. This supplemental image mask is placed in maskingposition with respect to the light-transmitting image-exposing area 2 ofthe mask 1 as indicated in Fig.

6, proper positioning of said mask being determined, in the presentinstance, by the mask projections 20. The outer edge of the image partof the photo-senitive sheet 21 is thus again exposed and with thepresent mask 14 a narrow border is produced just within the image partof the picture. If desired, the light-transmitting portions 4 of theintermediate area of the mask 1 for pro ducing the usual inner bordermay not be exposed, so that the picture will have but one inner border,to-wit, that produced by the use of the supplemental image mask 14.

It is the practice of many photographers to provide each of'thephotographs made by them with an identifying markin and this may bephotographic'ally accomplished with the present device. In the opaquearea 5 of the mask 1, say just below the right hand Sldt? of thelight-transmitting, image-exposing area 2 thereof, the photographersname, initials or emblem may be provided in lighttransmitting form, twoinitials 24 being here shown. The means here shown for covering theseinitials during the image producing exposure is the inner border mask.These initials are exposed, however, during the border producingexposure or exposures, so that said initials will be in either the shadeof the main border of the picture or in the darker shade'of thesupplemental border, if there is one.

As in the case of the picture border or borders, these initials willalways be properly spaced or positioned with respect to the image partof the picture, so that there can be no loss of time or material due tofaulty work caused by misalignment or improper spacing of either theborder or borders of the picture or of the photographers identifyingmarking.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that there is almost no limit tothe character of designs or borders with which the pictures may beprovided. The light-transmitting portions 4 of the interme iate area ofthe combined outer and inner border mask 1 may be of any desired designso that the picture may have any desired ,main'bor- 1' der. Likewise,the supplemental image mask 14 may be of any desired shape and design,so that any desired ornamental effect can be produced within the imagepart of, the picture, all as will be readily understood. 1

What I claim is:

1. A photographic printing device for making bordered photographs byprojection, comprising a combined outer and inner border mask, an innerborder mask, and g an image mask; said combined outer and inner bordermask having an outer opaque area, an inner light-transmittingimage-exposing area and an intermediate area, said intermediate areabeing made up of opaque 1; portions and light-transmittinginner-border-exposing portions and said opaque area, during the entireprinting operation, lying above and constituting the mask for theouterborder part of the printing sheet which receives the borderedphotograph; said inner border mask being movable into and out of maskingposition relative to said. combined outer and inner border mask andhaving a light-transmitting image-exposing 128 area and an opaque area,said light-transmitting image-exposing area being of the same size andshape as the light-transmitting image-exposing area of the combinedouter and inner border mask and said 133 opaque area, during theprinting of the image part of the photographic printing operation,constituting the mask for the light transmitting inner border exposingportions of the intermedlate area of the combined outer and inner bordermask; and said image mask being movable into and out of masking positionrelative to said combined outer and inner border mask and having anopaque area of the same size and shape as the image-exposing area ofsaid combined outer and inner border mask and hence, of the same sizeand shape as the image-exposing area of the inner border mask, saidopaque area constituting the mask for the inner light-transmittingimageexposing area of the combined outer and inner border mask duringthe printing of the inner border part of the photographic printingoperation.

2. A photographic printing device as set forth in claim 1, characterizedin that the inner border mask and the image mask are permanently mountedby hinge means on said combined outer and inner'border mask and in thatthe light-transmitting area of said inner border mask is in the form ofan opening in said mask and characterized further in that said imagemask is mounted for swinging movement through said lighttransmittingopening of said inner border mask.

3. A photographic printing device as set forth in claim 1, characterizedin that the intermediate area of said combined outer and inner bordermask includes an opaque portion entirely surrounding the innerlighttransmitting image-exposing area of said mask.

4. A photographic printing device as set forth in claim 1, characterizedin that the printing device also includes a supplemental image maskhaving an opaque area slightly smaller than the light-transmittingimage-exposing area of the combined outer and inner border mask, wherebywhen said supplemental image mask is in masking position relative to thelight-transmitting image-exposing area of the combined outer and innerborder mask, the outer edge part c of said area is exposed for theprinting of a' supplemental narrow border at the outer edge of theimage'part of the picture.

In testimony whereof I hereby aflix my signature.

, FRANK BERN.

